A few weeks before I was to appear at a school visit last month, the librarian asked if I would stay after for a pizza party. Invited would be the twelve 4th and 5th graders who had read every book on the Mark Twain list. I love pizza. I love parties. I love readers. And I, myself, had read all those books, too.
I had three favorites, one of which, I predicted, would be an underdog in the voting, for the sole reason that the general conflict is (sadly) something kids see every day.
When I first opened this particular book, I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did, but you can’t always judge a book by its cover. And you can’t judge people by theirs. Or by your initial impressions of them. The latter is a big takeaway from SAVE ME A SEAT by Sarah Weeks and Gita Varadarajan.
For Ravi, it’s the his first day of fifth grade in a new country. Back in India, he was a cricket star, super popular, super smart. He swaggers in to his new school full of hope and optimism and immediately spots Dillon, a child of Indian immigrants with swoopy bangs, a big smile, and an even bigger following. Ravi know, with absolute certainty, that he and Dillon will become the best of friends.
Dillon is exactly the guy who Joe Sylvester tries to avoid. Joe is large for his age, has APD (a noise-filtering condition), and is an easy target. Ravi wants nothing to do with Joe, who’s so unpopular, he eats lunch in the cafeteria by himself. Besides, they have nothing in common; then again, initial impressions are often wrong, especially when there’s a smiling, swoopy-haired bully involved.
As a seasoned reader, you can only imagine that with such different perspectives and outlooks, Ravi and Joe are headed on the same crash course for disaster. I’m a cringe-r. And this book is riddled with the best kind of cringe-worthy parts, the type that feels like these kiddos will only get stronger through their embarrassment and humiliation.
Save Me a Seat is told from alternating points of view, over the course of the five-day school week, each day’s section named for the featured cafeteria lunch. As for me, I didn’t need lunch the day I read this book. I swallowed it in one huge, immensely satisfying gulp.
Weeks later, at the pizza party, after I asked those 12 Mark Twain readers to save me a slice, I also asked which book they planned to vote for. No one talked about Ravi and Joe. The three titles mentioned most; really terrific books as well: Unbound (Ann E. Burg), Maxie’s Secrets (Lynn Plourde), and The Seventh Wish (Kate Messner). But when I asked the kiddos about Save Me a Seat, there was an overwhelming, “Oh, yeah!” It may not win the Mark Twain Award, but it’s a true winner!
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@Barrie Summy
I’ve always been an avid reader, well maybe except when I was in college bombarded with textbooks to get through each night. The title of your book, “Save Me a Seat” made me immediately think about a protest “billboard” for the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Locals had to get into a lottery just to get the right to buy tickets, and they were expensive. Someone mounted a large sign on a trailer and placed it along Highway 101 north of Vancouver on the Sunshine Coast. Five toilet seats were painted and arranged to make the Olympic rings. Under it was the slogan, “Save Me a Seat.” We didn’t win the lottery and the resale tickets were even more expensive. No one saved me a seat. – Margy
Great story! (And great billboard!)
🙂
You’re absolutely right, you can’t judge a book (or a person) by its cover. This sounds like a good book. Thanks for reviewing.
My pleasure. Thanks for reading!
I’m a cringer, too! This book sounds right up my alley. I often read the books you review. Thank you for bringing them to our attention!
The “it” books get so much ink, we often miss some gems. Thanks, Barrie!
I always want to hear about winners! Thanks for the tip!
It’s interesting what kids like; also, the fact that the favorites of kids in one school are often different than in another school.